This invention relates to hay harvesting machines, such as a windrower or mower-conditioner, of the type having a pair of hay conditioning rolls which counterrotate to deliver crops in a rearwardly directed airborne stream for ultimate deposit on the ground in a windrow or in a swath, and, more particularly, to an improved crop deflector or baffle sheet therefor for laying crops in a swath.
It is highly desirable when cutting and conditioning a hay crop to have the option of laying the crop in a swath or consolidatng the crop into a windrow. This has been accomplished in the past by providing a baffle sheet hinged at its leading edge to the machine above the crop flow and adjustably supported at its rear. In its raised position, the baffle sheet is out of the crop flow and the crop is free to pass to the windrowing apparatus for lateral consolidation through a windrow. When the baffle is lowered, the crop stream is intercepted and deflected downward to form a swath. Various baffles or crop deflectors of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,241,300, 3,543,491, and 3,721,073.
It is further common practice, as shown in some of the above references, to laterally gather the crop slightly, perhaps a foot on each side, as it exits the conditioning rolls but before it contacts the baffle sheet. This is done to produce a swath which will lay within the track of the wheels which are usually within the cutting apparatus width. However, this results in the swath having a greater density near the gathered edges than at the center and leads to a non-uniform drying rate. This, ultimately, results extended drying time in the field or greater spoilage if stored prematurely.